Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Dubious Rubio Gets An Astroturf Burn

Sen Marco Rubio gets a taste of astroturfing. Tea party protesters came to the Washington DC to voice their disapproval of immigration reform. Did these tea party protesters organize themselves? Of course not. Politico reports that Rep. Steve King organized the event.

“This bill is at its core amnesty,” Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), who organized the event, told the sympathetic crowd. “We’re here to today… to take this debate outside the halls of Congress. If it’s not going to be good enough inside, we’ll take it outside!”

The Heritage Foundation was also at King's astroturfing rally. Apparently, the Heritage Foundation isn't letting former fellow Jason Richwine's discredited reports and ties to the white nationist movement keep them from being against immigration.

“Marco Rubio has not read his own bill!” said Robert Rector, a senior researcher for the Heritage Foundation.

I am no fan of Rubio but it should be noted that the Senate immigration reform bill is still being written. Rector hasn't read the bill because it isn't done.

This is essentially King and the Heritage Foundation calling all the media outlets and bringing and busing in a handful of tea party faithful. Politico and other outlets cover this like it is a big story.